Oh gosh we hope so…
Walmart is in a pickle, and not the kind that can be found in the canned goods aisle. Following the Mexican bribery scandal, pols high and low have reaffirmed their opposition to the store. But they are not the only ones. Even some of the big box retailers staunchest supporters have come out against the company, namely Greg David.
The Crain’s columnist and former editor for three decades of the influential business weekly is a big believer in capitalism and its important role in shaping the city—he just wrote a book about it. To that end, he has long supported Walmart’s efforts to open a store in the five boroughs (14 times at last count). Yet now, in light of the scandal, even Greg David doubts Walmart will ever open in New York. And he believes this is all Walmart’s fault.
Read more from The New York Observer:
Here’s what Pro-Walmart champion and Author, Greg David now has to say about Walmart’s chances in New York City:
“Walmart squandered all that momentum by not announcing a plan to open stores. It is true that giant companies like Walmart march to their own beat, but the months of silence have clearly eroded its position.
The Mexican scandal hurts in two ways. It obviously means any move in New York will need to be delayed until the publicity dies down. More importantly, The New York Times story suggests current CEO Mike Duke, the driving force behind the effort to move into New York, could be implicated.”
With the clock ticking toward a new mayor, Walmart may have just blown it.
This publicity is never going to die down, Mr. David. Not if we have anything to with it. And we’re doing a lot…
